Officials get show cause notice over chariot fest held in Kalaburagi
Kalaburagi: Taking a serious view into the Sri Siddeshwara chariot fest held at Ravoor village in Chittapur taluk of Kalaburagi on Thursday amid the lockdown announced by Union Government against the spread of COVID-19, deputy commissioner B Sharath on Friday served show-cause notices on the assistant commissioner of Sedam sub-division and Chittapur tahsildar while placing PSI Vijaykumar and sectoral magistrate Rajkumar Rathod under suspension for failing to stop the fest.
In addition to the notices and placing officers under suspension, 20 persons attached to Siddeshara Samsthan Mutt at the village have been booked besides 200 villagers who allegedly took part in the fest also face First Information Report against them at Wadi police station.
Both PSI and sectoral magistrate were placed under suspension on Thursday itself.
The deputy commissioner found that Mutt had given in writing that they will not hold the fest on account of prohibitory orders imposed by the District Administration but did not keep their words and had made people gather to hold the fest at the village.
In its defence, sources close to Mutt stated that the fest was decided to be held at the village by having only five members but the news of the low-key chariot fest spread, leading to devotees gathering creating problems for the Matha.
Mutt sources stated that it had held a press conference and announced that fest to be low-key this year on account of COVID-19 spread. Even, Ravoor Panchayat Development Officer and Village Accountant have also been served notices against them over the fest.
